Machine for cleaning raisins.



l. TUCKER.

MACHINE FOR CLEANING RAISINS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 30. 1915.

1,170,026. Patented Feb.1, 1916.

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THE COLUMBIA PumoakAPl-I 50., WASHINGTON. D. c.

l. TUCKER.

MACHINE FOR CLEANING RAISINS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 30. I915.

Patented Feb. 1, 1916.

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L vaoee.

portion of the cradle.

INMAN TUCKER, OF YUBA CITY, CALIFORNIA.

MACHINE FOR CLEANING RAISINS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 1, 1916.

Application filed March 30, 1915. Serial No. 18,017.

To all w from it may concern Be it known that I, INMAN Toonnn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Y'uba City, in the county of Sutter and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Cleaning Raisins, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a machine for cleaning raisins and the like.

The primary object contemplated by the invention is to provide a machine in which the pneumatic principle is employed to separate the stems and foreign matter from the raisins.

A further object of the invention is the provision of agitating means in combination with the pneumatic principle for the purpose of insuring a maximum cleansing of the raisins. I A still further object of the invention is to provide a cradle which may be adjusted with facility to control the volume of raisins subjected to the cleansing process.

Still another object is to combine with the agitating device and pneumatic principle, raisin combing means for the purpose of freeing the raisins of any stems and the like which might adhere after the pack has been subjected to initial agitation.

To the accomplishment of the recited objects and others coordinate therewith, the preferred embodiment of my invention resides .in that construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and embraced within the scope of the appended claims.

-Tn said drawings :Figure 1 is an elevation of the complete machine partly shown in section. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of a Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the stem picker, and Fig. 4 is a fragmentary top plan view thereof.

The invention comprises a. hopper leading from a source of supply, a conveyer, a supply chute, a discharge chute, an intermediate perforated cradle, a blower, and means for agitating the chutes and cradle. In practice, the raisins are fed from the hopper to the conveyer, then onto the supply chute a- ;from which they gravitate to the cradle.

This cradle is arranged in close proximity to the outlet end of a blower and is preferably secured to the lower edge of said supply chute, while both chutes and the cradle are a mounted in such manner that they may be agitated in a horizontal plane. It is also essential that the cradle be disposed in the path of the air draft and properly located with respect to the discharge chute whereby the air issuing from the blower outlet will be simultaneously deflected against opposite extremities of the cradle with the result that the air passes through the perforations of the cradle, strikes the mass of raisins while being agitated and blows the stems, foreign matter, etc, over the edge of the chute; leaving the cleansed raisins to fall onto the discharge chute. As a matter of fact the supply and discharge chutes present an inclosure in which the cradle is disposed to receive to best advantage the currents of air is- Referring more particularly to the draw-' ing the numeral 1 designates a hopper which is in communlcation with a suitable supply of raisins, and 2 an endless conveyer mounted-upon the frame-work 3, the upper end of said conveyer being disposed in close proximity to one end of a supply chute. 4. Hingedly connected at 5 to the bottom of this chute is a cradle 6 having 7 and having a relatively short curved forward end wall 8 merging into a relatively long curved bottom 9. In actual practice it perforations II has been found that perforations havingdimensions of 29/32" give the best results.

At the rear end of the cradle there is mounted the vertically extending lug 10 and this lug carries a thumb screw 11 which is'de-' signed to enter the the vertical side of openings 1-2 formed in the chute l for the ob-gvious purpose of raising or lowering thecradle. cured to a butting board 13 provided at its upper end with a forwardly projecting lip edge. of. the bottom of the cradle is a feature of the greatest importance in this machine, the finallyadopted being the 'reconfiguration The rear end of the cradle is sesult of experiments extending over a considerable period of time. Tests with cradles having dished perforated bottoms, theends of which occupy the same plane have been found to be ineffective in securing the def slred results for the reason that the ra1s1ns have a tendency to work toward the rear end of the cradle and are thus prevented from being subjected to repeated agitations which is essential in carrying out the method in-a thoroughly satisfactory manner. Flat horizontallydisposed'cradles are practically uselessyas are-also inclined flat cradles, as the mechanism employed for agitating the raisins to'effect separation'therefrom of the theelements em'ployed'in effecting its'cleansingn-nThis' is due t'othe fact'that both the blast and agitating mechanisms are disposed at the fro'ntend of the cradle, and as the greatest bulk of the product will, as above stated, bedisposed at the front end of the cradle, it follows tliata' more rapid and effective cleansing can be secured, owing'to' the-attrition resulting from the comparatively large-bulk of the away from the cleansingelements. Im-

ined'iately adjacent the wall 8 of the cradle is the outlet-end lat of a fanblower 15, the

samebeing preferably'beveled so as to'defieittthe air directly against the front ofthe-cr dle and also against the rear wall of thediscliarg'e chute"1-6,'- as" indicated by the arrows" 17. The supply chute cradle and discharge chute are preferably suspended from" the frame '3 by inean s -of the links; or hangers l8' a'n'd'the several parts considered" asair entirety are adapted tobe' agitated in a horizontal plane by i-neansofthe eccentric sh-aped shaker arm '19 whifchfis' pivotally connected to thebo'ttoni of the discharge obvious that 5 chute 1-6".""It will also appear the supply and" discharge chutes virtually comprise an inc'los'urein which the said cradle is properly' 'disposed to receive the air 'c'urrents'comingfrom the blower.

Cooperating with the hereinbefore described" cr'adle, air draft, and agitating means; there is employed certain mechanisiii" designedfto positively separate suchstefns," foreign matterand the like as product, than wouldresult if the product werein a relatively th n sheet that would be'constantly moved less" volume of raisins.

still adhere to the raisins after the pack has been subjected to the preliminary treatment. As best shown in Figs. 3 and 4, this mechanism comprises a super-support or platform 20 suitably connected to the frame 3 by uprights 21. Rising vertically from the support'20 are a plurality of vertical bearing posts 22, each carrying at its upper eX- tremity a pair of anti-friction rollers 23. Yieldably connected to the support 20'by means of coil springs 24 is a series of arms 25, the upper end of each of which carries a bearing plate 26 adapted for engagement with each pair of adjacent rollers 23, while the'lower ends of said arms are fashionedinto fingers 27. The intermediate portion of 'each arm is connected by means of the" knuckle 28 to a horizontally disposedcrank shaft 29 carrying a pulley 30 on its outer terminal. The arms project downwardly at an inclination and extend through elongated slots 31in the support 20.

As the raisins together With their stems, foreign matter, etc., are fed into the chute 4:, and in turn to the cradle 6' the entire mass is agitated by the shaker arm 19 and simul taneonsly the forced air draft issuing'from the outlet 14 of the blower 15 passes through the perforations in the rear curved portion of the cradle, thereby forcing the raisins toward the center of the cradle. At the same time a portion of the air will pass beneath the cradle 6, strike the rear upper extremity of the discharge chute'l6 and from this oint will be deflected through the perforations 7 in the opposite'end' of the cradle, it being remembered that the" raisins are'being'continually agitated and that the opening in the opposite ends of the cradle *are alternately uncovered by' the raisins to Dermit the free passage f ir therethrough.

Manifestly the purpose ofthe lip 13-is to prevent the raisins from being blown over 1 the'edge of the cradle. If it should'be' found' desirable to control the output of cleansed raisins this may be easilytaken care'of by an appropriate adjustment oft-he upper-end of the cradle by means of the'thum'b screw 11.-- For example by elevatingthe cradle'the -mass of raisins is diminished, allowinga more freepassage of'air and consequently By lowering the cradle the mass becomes greater and tends-" to choke the-air supply, thereby allowingthe-agitation of the mass to increase "the" volume of raisins passing through the per forations. It will also-be pointed out that" the lower portion of the discharge-chute" 16 is extended beyond the plane of the out-" let end 14 of theblower-so'as to for'm a positive air pocket.

Simultaneously duringthe operation of" the agitating means and the forced air draft, 1

power 5 is applied to the pulley 30 and-by reason of the eccentric disposition of the crank shaft 29, the fingers 27 are caused to describe an extended curve as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1. During this movement the fingers serve to thoroughly comb the raisins, and separate and lift therefrom such large stems, grapevines, etc., as may be present in the pack. The elevating of the foreign matter occurs at a point adjacent the rear end of the cradle and simultaneously the fingers have imparted to them a slight kick by reason of the disengage ment of the plates 26 with the rollers 23 which combined with the air blast forces said foreign matter over the butting board 13.

It should be understood that in its broader aspect the invention comprehends the employment not only of the various means described, but of equivalent means for performing the recited functions.

lVhile the arrangement shown is thought at the present time to be preferable, it is desired to reserve the right to effect such modifications and variations thereof as may come fairly within the scope of the appended claims.

WVhat is claimed, is

1. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a supply chute, a discharge chute, a cradle interposed between said chutes and having a relatively short foraminous forward wall, means for forcing an air draft against said wall, and means for agitating said chutes and said cradle.

2. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a supply chute, a discharge chute, a perforated cradle interposed between said chute and having a relatively short curved front wall and a relatively long curved bottom, means for forcing an air draft against said forward wall, and means for agitating said chutes and said perforated cradle, and reciprocatory agitating mechanism working within the cradle.

3. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a perforated cradle, means for supplying raisins to said cradle, means for forcing an air draft against said cradle, means for agitating the cradle, and combing mechanism working within the cradle.

l. In a. machine of the class described, the combination of a foraminous cradle,

means for supplying raisins to said cradle, means for forcing an air draft against said cradle, and combing mechanism working within the cradle.

5. In a machine of the class described, the combination with agitating means, of an inclosure having an inlet and outlet, a perforated cradle disposed in said inclosure between said inlet and outlet, and means for directing an air current through the perforations of the front wall of said cradle.

6. In a machine of the class described, the combination with agitating means, of an inclosure having an inlet and outlet, a perforated cradle disposed in said inclosure be tween said inlet and outlet, reciprocatory agitating mechanism coacting with the cradle, and means for directing an air current through the perforations at opposite ends of said cradle.

7. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a perforated cradle, means for forcing an air draft in proximity to said cradle, a picker arm adapted to comb and elevate the foreign matter combined with the raisins, and means for imparting a kick to said arm in the path of said air draft,

8. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a perforated cradle, means for forcing an air draft in proximity to said cradle, a picker arm adapted to elevate the raisins above said cradle, and means for tripping said arm to cause said raisins to drop in the path of said air draft.

9. In a machine of the class described a reciprocatory foraminous cradle having its front end lower than its rear end, blast mechanism coacting with the front end, and picker mechanism coacting with the cradle.

10. In a machine of the class described, an inclined foraminous cradle having-a short curved front wall disposed in a plane below the rear end of the cradle, blast mechanism co-acting with the front wall, and combined reciprocatory and semi-rotary picker mechanism disposed within the cradle.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

INMAN TUCKER.

Witnesses:

RICHARD L. Armor, CHARLES WOLFE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

